One would think that after making umpteen batches of CC cookies, I’d really be tired of them. Well, remember, nearly all of these are going to a friend of mine who needs to eat them to gain some weight (cookies seem to go down easier than other foods, she says – and only CC cookies, not other types). And hey, I’m doing this cookie testing for the sake of research, right? You know that kind of rationalization, don’t you? Naturally, I do have to taste some of them in the name of quality control, too. Right? Right.

So, if you’ll recall from reading my other posts, my friend Norma really prefers thicker, softer and more chewy (but most definitely not crisp) CC cookies. My last two attempts were moderately successful in that regard – the chewy type, but they were still crispy. I thought perhaps this batch would be better on the chewy scale, since it was in the title. Well, they are chewy, but they’re CRISP-chewy. Not what Norma prefers. For her, these will still have to be dunked in milk. For me, however, they are outstanding – nice mounds of cookie, with crispy edges. 

The recipe came from Heather R. (reprinted below by permission) over at Chocolate Bytes (a blog). I subscribe via RSS feed, so get all the updates on chocolate doings there. The title of her post was “The Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookie.”

The batter came together as easily as any regular CC cookies – except the proportions of things were somewhat different (different volumes of brown and white sugar, 1 egg plus an egg yolk). The batter looked just like Tollhouse, but it’s NOT. The cookies don’t thin out hardly at all – they make a nice mound. And they’re baked at 325, definitely lower than Tollhouse. The edges are nice and crispy and the insides are chewy, a bit. Not much, but some. FYI: the recipe made 48 cookies, and took 12 minutes in my oven, using Convection/Bake.

Norma will definitely eat them, but they may not be her favorites. I did hold back a few just to test them after a day to see how they are. Ah-hem. Right? As head of quality control, I’m required to do that, right? All my cookies go into the freezer when I make them, and I actually prefer eating them from a frozen state anyway.

My DH has had several of these cookies, and tells me he thinks they are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made. Because I only kept about 10 of them, I may have to make another batch. They’re that good. And then keep researching and testing to find a softer one that my friend really likes. Sigh. More CC cookie research in my future. [grin]  And thanks to Heather for the great recipe. She doesn’t remember where she got the recipe, so we’ll credit her for it, for now.

As a result of writing up this post I finally decided to go hunting in my files (remember, I have FILES of recipes, divided up by category, in manila-folder sleeves so they don’t fall out the sides) where I knew I had an article or two about why cookies are thin/crisp/chewy/puffy. Sure enough. I found both. One was from Food & Wine magazine, the other from our local newspaper. I think the articles deserve a write-up of their own – along with photos and taste-tests of the cookie recipes contained within. So, according to both articles, I’ll try two CC cookie recipes that are assured to be soft and puffy. More like what Norma wants. So, stay tuned. Meanwhile, if you like thick, chewy AND crispy cookies, these are your ticket to nirvana. Guaranteed.

Year Ago: I posted one of my favorite recipes, Grilled Salmon on Watercress Salad